TRon

Personally I don't think it is. Look at the massive difference it made down our leftside having someone of Enrique's quality. One of the big things we'll miss apart from his outstanding defensive ability, was his drive forward. While I am sure Pieters is a good player in his own right, I think we desperately need full backs who can bring the ball out and bomb on. We resort to hoofing the ball long at the slightest pressure and Jose was a key component in helping us to build from the back. So I would like us to go the extra mile for Cissokho but I am 70% sure it will be Pieters.

So who's going to hold the ball up for Man U then? Oh that's right, it doesn't matter as they won't hoof the ball 50 yds in the air towards Rooney and Wellbeck.

Routledge looks like he's more comfortable at a low profile club. Whenever he's been on a bigger stage he's wilted. That said, it looks like we might have replaced him with a similar player if what Man U fans are saying is true. But he deserves a chance to prove them wrong and he hasn't had anywhere near the number of games Routledge did yet.

I think it is probably someone else's job to find the contract loopholes, then Carr is sent to scout those players. What's clear is that we are looking at the right players, it's then just a case of getting the deals done which is Llambias' department.

It doesn't really matter if it is true. There's nothing wrong with brinkmanship as long as you get the deal done in the end. If we fail however there will be holy hell unleashed on Ashley and Llambias and rightly so.

From wiki: "Although the fee was undisclosed, it is believed to be £4.5m, with add-ons that could eventually rise to £10.5m." Under £5m, and we couldn't afford him? Pardew was supposed to be the one who was keen but the hierarchy were not convinced. The hierarchy need to get convinced about someone and push the deal through. I know it's only two games but Shane Long looks to be exactly the type of hard running forward we should be signing.

If it gets to deadline day, or just before, we will go in for Macheda or loan. Or maybe go back in for Stephen Ireland. Probably the plan all along.

I don't think either of them has any fresh news, we are basically in for both of them and are playing the clubs off against each other hoping to get the fees reduced. The first club to crack and agree a price will seal the deal.

Fair point. Just look at Jonas who wasn't even a youngster when he joined us. People laughed at the idea he could work on his crossing at his age, but he's definitely improved that side of his game.

It doesn't even sound like Sochaux have agreed to sell Maiga. With a week to go you'd think we'd at least have established that we could do a deal at a certain price even if we had to pay a bit more than we'd like. I'm very nervous that we'll lose the deal in last day brinkmanship and end up signing some 2nd rate make do on loan.

When we've not looked like creating chances never mind scoring goals, we should explore every avenue possible in that area. Vukic, whatever his age, is one of the few players in our squad who will home in on goal with single minded purpose. Best and Ba are probably the others.

Which is why Wenger has done an amazing job of even hanging onto those clubs coat tails. If Arsenal sacked him, they would lose the ability to sign young players who's value increased and kept then financially powerful. Arsenal simply can't afford to sack him.

Sorry but who is Henderson ? Exactly.

I get the feeling Pieters will be less of a risk temperamentally. He was upset about his Gran dying so he seems like a nice lad.

But if they're aware of Cissokho, why would they use a much better player and much better option to cover up for Pieters? Talk about a letdown. I don't get how they'd see this bargain and then say "Nah, let's get the Dutch guy". Maybe it's foolish to apply common sense to the regime. We were quoted £6m for Pieters and at that point we probably threw in a similar bid for Cissokho on the chance that Lyon might bite (which they didn't). Worth a go, in the mean time the fee for Piters has probably been dropped to the £4-5m we were probably prepared to pay.

One page earlier Dave

I get the feeling Cissokho was never really likely we probably just sniffed around to get the Dutch club to lower their fee to a more realistic level.

I hope they do sack him as that will be the end of their CL days for sure. Maybe we can start competing with them again.

sacrilege. You've contaminated our colours.

Yep, would like to see us get the ball on the deck because there's been a lot of hoofball so far. Will require a lot of patience though, Fulham will probably turn up with the intention of merely existing for 60 minutes then taking advantage of any frustration that may develop. I don't know like. Jol had the tendency to play quite attacking football at Spurs. I'm sort of hoping he's dumb enough to try and do it with inferior footballers as well and we'll slay them in an open game. Clutching at straws probably but what the hell.

Their manager was talking about bringing in 4 or 5 signings. In 10 days? Good luck with that one.

http://passionweiss.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/pitchfork_5.jpg It's being sharpened....

Bendtner's still available. Or we could just offer the money it will take to buy this lad as they would probably sell rather than keep an unhappy player.

Just being discussed in the other thread, our most successful side in recent times had some proper bell ends like Dyer and Bellamy. First we need to get some good players in then it's Pardew's job to manage them.